Stealing Magic
by macrauchenia
Summary: Or, the ten times Merlin was kidnapped, and the one time he was forced to be the kidnapper. Story the First: Party Tricks - Why do all circus performers have evil intentions? And why are all ringmasters bald and practioners of sorcery? -No Slash- -Canon Pairings Apply- -Specific Warnings Within-


**Title:** Party Tricks  
**Rating: **K  
**Timeframe/Info About This Fic: **Takes place a year or so after the end of Season 4  
**Disclaimer:** I do not own any single part of the Merlin story. It all belongs to the glorious and amazing BBC network.  
**Authors Note: **Well, this isn't the multichap fic I promised. But it will have many chapters (eleven chapters to be a bit more specific). I've been wanting to do this idea for quite a while. Hopefully no one else has yet in the Merlin fandom. I've looked, but you can never be too sure o.O  
This was written very quickly, because I didn't want to lose the idea, so sorry for any extreme errors x.X

* * *

It was a long time before traveling circuses were allowed to return to Camelot. If the King of Camelot had his way, performing various acts that related to circus entertainment was a heinous enough crime to lock a man up. However, because the queen and his knights insisted upon it, one of the Five Kingdom's most prodigious traveling troupes was soon booked for a brief stop at Camelot.

Arthur _really_ didn't want the famous performers coming to Camelot, especially after what had happened _last _time, where thanks to various, uncontrollable events, Arthur became king and Uther was killed. All because of a poisonous apple, and some crackpot, old sorcerer.

The King had hoped that his wife would understand _why_ the jovial visitors would not be appreciated, but the queen insisted that having the circus troupe visit would be a perfect way to celebrate their first anniversary—and to make a little announcement about the future heir of Camelot. Arthur had a sinking suspicion that his most trusted knights weren't as loyal to the former king as he had thought, since they too were eagerly looking forward to the upcoming celebration.

Perhaps the only other person in Camelot who wasn't excited about the circus's arrival was Merlin. When Arthur grudgingly informed the manservant to prepare twenty extra rooms to accommodate their new guests, the thin boy had blinked and objected with a meek "Are you sure, Sire?" The secret warlock obviously recalled the kingdom's past issues with traveling circuses. Honestly, Arthur was surprised Merlin even remembered, seeing as the clumsy manservant had trouble remembering to wake the king up in the morning.

"You don't like circuses, _Mer_lin? Are you _afraid _of the performers?" the king had sneered to his faithful servant. Instead of looking offended, the boy had merely shifted uncomfortably and replied with a cryptic "I don't really fancy them," while wearing the oddest expression on his pale face.

The boys' exchange was completely forgotten by the king until the night of the performance. Merlin had been a bit shifty that entire day, coming up with plenty of reasons to excuse himself so he could "tidy up" the rooms of the visiting troupe members. Practically running into the king's chambers an hour before the show, Merlin begged his friend to call off the performance and send the actors away. The optimism of Gwen and his fellow knights soon intoxicated the king as well, prompting him to chide Merlin for being so ridiculous, and told him to help him dress, or God help him, he would throw the boy into the stocks.

At the actual feast, Merlin was seldom seen. This irritated King Arthur quite a good deal, since Merlin was also the one to refill his wine cup, and the king was starting to realize how much he really did _not_ like the circus. On the rare occasions when the boy actually stayed near his master, he was incredibly fidgety, only becoming worse when a performer would come too close to them.

By the time of the finale, Arthur had had _enough_ of everything. He was tired of the circus; he was tired of Merlin; and he was tired of always having an empty cup. When the performers announced their intentions to complete one last "heart stopping" trick and end the show, King Arthur clapped louder and livelier than he had all night. The ringmaster, a bald, squat man who was almost orange (which prompted the king to ask himself why ringmasters in the Five Kingdoms were all bald), searched the crowd with his eagle eyes, lingering for a moment on Queen Guinevere and the future heir, before darting back to the King of Camelot.

"We need a member from the audience for out final trick," the ringmaster smiled with a sickly sweet smile. "Sire…? Would you like to volunteer?"

Arthur frowned slightly, remembering the events of the pervious visit. "No, I think not." The bright smiles of the circus troupe dimmed significantly. "But I will volunteer _Merlin_ to be your, ah, helper."

"What?!"

The ringmaster bowed deeply to the King with a forced smile. "Whatever Your Majesty wishes."

"Arthur!"

Two of the strong men appeared on either side of the thin manservant, propelling him forcefully to the center of the great hall where a metal cage was waiting.

"Arthur!" Merlin protested again, trying to wriggle free. "I really don't thi—urghf…" The boy trailed off as his neckerchief was shoved in his mouth as a gag.

The smile was stretched tightly across the ringmaster's face now. "We need complete concentration and silence," he explained. "The boy's cries may cause us to…mess up."

Arthur shrugged, a grin pulling on his lips. "That's the best trick I've seen yet. It is possible to shut him up for good?"

The manservant's eyes narrowed at his king, and violent spitting sounded around the gag, but no one did anything to prevent the boy from being shoved rather roughly into the metal cage. The boy could barely hear the frantic whispers of the performers around him.

_"…what should we do…?"_

_ "…it sure ain't the king…"_

_ "…do we send 'em…?"_

_ "…they'll see what'll happen…"_

Merlin really didn't like the sound of that, but he was helpless to escape from the cramped cage.

The ringmaster's booming voice echoed around the great hall, captivating the attention of all those in attendance. "I will now draw your attention to the cage in the center of the hall," he thundered, waving his arms around. "Here we see a simple servant!" A huge blue cloth was suddenly thrown into the air. It fluttered softly as it settled down around the narrow cage, effectively sealing Merlin away from the sight of the other spectators. "In a matter of moments, we will make him disappear—but don't worry," the ringmaster soothed the riveted crowd, "with one simple word, we can bring him back." Merlin could hardly believe how obviously the man was referring to magic, and yet no one else picked up on the fact. The person who _should_ have noticed was probably grinning over the fact that Merlin would be _gone_ for an indefinite amount of time.

_Knowing Arthur, he'll probably arrest them before they can "bring me back." _

"Silence, please!" Merlin could hear the ringmaster shout. When the room was so deathly silent that he thought he was the only one there, the faint whispered words of magic tickled his ears. The hairs on the back of his neck crackled slightly as suddenly his stomach dropped. Merlin stared, completely shocked, as his hand and arm dissolved in midair. Then, with a soft _pop_, he, cage included, was somewhere else. He glanced around him at his dark surroundings and smiled sheepishly at the dumbfounded faces circling him.

"I'm probably not who you want me to be."

* * *

Arthur had to admit, he was finally starting to enjoy the circus when they made Merlin disappear. With a sudden whoosh, the metal cage beneath the blue cloth disappeared, causing the fabric to flutter weakly to the floor. The ringmaster bent down and whirled the vivid blue cover in the air, revealing to all the empty space below it.

At first, the hall was silent. Then it exploded into a loud, frenzy of applause. Even King Arthur gave the performers a standing ovation, grinning despite his original pledge to remain stoically disinterested from the beginning. Once the crowd's cheers settled down, the ringmaster bowed again.

"A wonderful trick, Ringmaster," Arthur commended the man, "and as much as I regret saying this, I will need my manservant back eventually. Will you return him to me?" The crowd howled even louder, finding their king's request to be a hilarious addition to the trick.

The ringmaster grinned. "Certainly, Your Highness." He bowed again, replaced the cloth over the spot where the cage and Merlin had been. Murmuring a few words under his breath, the prismatic shape of the cage soon formed under the blue fabric. He ripped off the sheet, revealing the cage and a pale, wide eyed Merlin, who had gone through too many involuntary teleportations for his liking that night. The moment the door to the cage was opened, the boy darted out of it and was suddenly standing beside his king, watching the circus performers warily. However, nothing more happened that caused the boy to tense up any further.

* * *

Giving rueful goodbyes and thanking their gracious hosts, the circus troupe left the very next day, traveling with their dancing bears and their skilled jugglers, who were leading the way to the next venue. Merlin watched them go from Arthur's window with narrowed eyes.

Arthur glanced behind him from his seated position at the desk. "Don't tell me, Merlin, that you didn't enjoy the show."

"I'm glad they're gone."

"You're just mad that you were volunteered."

"No, I'm not," the boy replied stiffly. "And you're lucky that it was me who 'disappeared.'"

"Am I now?" One of Arthur's eyebrows rose. "Why is that, Merlin?"

"They would have kidnapped you, Arthur! They kidnapped me, but they didn't want me. That's what the other guys sa—"

"_Mer_lin! I don't think you understand what went on. I didn't think I would have to explain it to you, but if you're that much of an idi—"

"I'm not joking, Arthur. They would have kidnapped you and held you for ransom. Or worse!"

"It was an _act,_ Merlin. You were _supposed_ to disappear. They'd be pretty rotten performers if they couldn't do that." He surveyed his pale, disordered manservant. "But I did think that was the best trick of the night. If only the effect could have been a bit more _permanent_…" The king returned to his work, a smile ghosting his lips at the thought of a certain missing manservant.

Merlin crossed his arms angrily, glaring at his king. _That prat doesn't even know that I saved his life. _Again. The boy sighed. He _really_ wasn't looking forward to the next visit from the traveling circus. But knowing Arthur's new, optimistic outlook on the performers, it was probably going to be soon.

* * *

**Alakazam...?  
Let me know if you liked it :D I tried to be humorous (guys, it's so hard to be funny; I'm more of what you'd call a "dark" writer Dx)**


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